A central reserve police force jawan was killed and seven others, including two civilians, were injured when a powerful car bomb went off at Katran village in Anantnag district, South Kashmir.

A senior police officer told rediff.com that militants had parked an explosive-laden car along the Kulgam-Qazigund road in Katran village, 75 kms from here, in Katrin village and detonated it at around 2 pm, when a paramilitary vehicle passed by it.

The blast caused extensive damage to the CRPF vehicle and injured six jawans. Two pedestrians also sustained injuries in the powerful explosion, he said.

One of the two jawans, who were seriously injured, succumbed to his injuries while being shifted to the hospital. The injured were shifted to the Kulgam sub-district hospital.

Meanwhile, the pro-Pakistan Hizbul Mujahideen militant outfit has claimed responsibility for the explosion. A caller, claiming to be a spokesman of the outfit, told local news agencies that the activists of the outfit had triggered the blast, causing heavy casualties to the CRPF.

A massive hunt has been launched to nab the militants involved in the blast.